Send a teacher to Carson City. Our politicians should know the real Nevada!

$510

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Michael Gandy has been living in and around Assembly District 15 for much of the past 30 years. He moved here as a teen and graduated from Chaparral High School as part of the class of 1992. After graduation, Mike worked at a number of local businesses and attended UNLV.

Michael’s daughter, Victoria, was born at Sunrise Hospital in 1994. She attended George E. Harris Elementary, K.O. Knudson Middle School, and Las Vegas Academy - where she graduated in 2014; she now attends the nursing program at CSN. He and his family have lived in the same house in the Assembly District for nearly 12 years. Michael supports local businesses, by shopping and eating at locally owned establishments.

For a time, Michael worked for Juvenile Probation in Clark County Family Courts (a depressing gig), where he met and spoke with countless Las Vegas children and families. That experience led him to realize that education was a powerful tool and he could do more for families in the classroom than the courtroom.

Michael went back to UNLV and earned a degree in education. He completed his student teaching at Desert Pines High School -- and stayed for 6 years. For the past 14 years, Michael has been teaching English, British Literature, Mythology, Creating Writing, World Cultures, and Yearbook to high-risk students and providing after school and weekend tutoring to help prepare them for the Nevada Proficiency Exams (which are now, thankfully, gone). Michael also earned a English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching certification and taught English to English-Language learners.

In addition, he has served as the advisor for the Asian Culture Appreciation Club, the Ping-Pong Club, the Gay Straight Alliance, the Black Student Union, and he is the current advisor of the Student Organization of Latinos (SOL). Michael is also a volunteer CASA (court-appointed special advocate) and licensed foster parent.

While teaching, Michael met his now-wife, Jessica. She was also a teacher and active social justice activist. Jessica taught English at Desert Pines High School, Sunrise Mountain High School, J.D. Mack Middle School, and the Education Services District (behavior schools), before graduating from the night program of the UNLV Boyd School of Law and passing the Nevada Bar in 2016. Jessica currently works as an attorney for Alverson, Taylor, Mortensen and Sanders, the firm founded by Basic High School graduates Bruce Alverson and Harry Reid.

In all of these experiences, Michael realized the importance of political activism. He began volunteering for the local democratic party in 1992, and continued volunteering in every election cycle through, and including 2016. He canvassed neighborhoods, drove voters to the polls, and worked at phone banks to ensure Nevada received proper representation. Between election cycles, Michael volunteers with HeadCount to register voters, and and with the ACLU in an effort to end cash bail for non-violent and first time offenders.

In 2016, the entire Gandy family registered voters and canvassed for the Nevada Democrats - Michael and Victoria for Bernie Sanders and Jessica for Hillary Clinton. The family attended rallies for both candidates. Michael’s mother pushed him in a stroller to canvass for Jimmy Carter, and he repaid the favor by pushing her wheelchair to a Bernie Sanders rally. After the caucus and state convention were over, he immediately put away the Bernie stuff and began knocking on doors for Hillary. He’s proud that Hillary won Nevada, because he played a small role in that.

Today, local politics is more important than ever. State and local politics effect citizens every day, and can help shape national decisions. Nevada residents make the decisions that reflect what is best for Nevada, and it is the job of local representatives to bring the voice of the community to the congressional floor. Michael is ready, willing, and able to be the voice for Assembly District 15. He has lived in the district, loves the district, and wants to represent its interests in a state where community voices regularly shape government decisions.

Michael has already spent his own money, but doesn't have the funding necessary for the advertising necessary. Mike intends to use the money on signs & brochures, social media advertising, and other simple-yet-tested means of getting his name & message to the public.

Please feel free to contact him by phone or email to ask any more questions about the issues he holds dear or the campaign he's running.

“I support Send a Teacher to Carson City because we won't have positive, meaningful change in education policy and funding unless teachers have a direct voice in our state government.”

Last weekend, my family and I went to Washington D.C. to participate in March for Our Lives. This was an amazing experience and I am proud that I was a tiny part of it. As an Assemblyman, I will fight for the lives and safety of Nevada's students, and all Nevada residents, each and every day -- I am ready and willing to fight for the changes we need.

Thank you for everyone that has donated so far. I am almost halfway to my first fundraising goal!

This week, I've reached out to local businesses and have begun introducing myself to my Las Vegas neighbors as someone that wants to serve as their next assemblyman. The feedback so far has been amazing. I am still in need of donations -- especially as there are FOUR democrats as registered candidates -- and a republican. That means that I have to win a primary in June and a general election in November to serve you in Carson City. Every vote will count and every dollar will help me meet that goal.